Conservatively speaking, a college graduate generates $142,000 in state fiscal benefits over time while costing a state only $60,500. But trends in higher education allocations (4.1 percent of total state spending nationwide in 1984; 1.8 percent in 2004) suggest states have become shortsighted.

In 2000, a tech entrepreneur who dreamed of helping low-income young adults build solid career paths founded a unique school. Since then he has been changing minds about what people need to succeed.

New England’s population has avoided an overall decline thanks to the growing numbers of immigrants. New England Public Policy Center research shows immigrants are also filling many of the region’s labor needs.